Thursday, December 5, 2013Protestors hit Cleveland McDonald's for higher wagesAsking for $15 an hour, plus a unionStory by BRIAN BULL

In The Region:

A few dozen protesters gathered outside a Cleveland McDonald’s today, calling for a union and higher minimum wage for its employees. From Ohio Public Radio station WCPN, Brian Bull reports that it’s part of a larger effort to boost the paychecks for fast-food workers to $15 an hour.

Protesters chanted, “Hey McDonald's, you can’t hide! We can see your greeting sign!”

They held signs stating, “Jobs with justice” and “fair wages now”, sometimes getting a supportive honk from passing motorists. McDonald's employees watched from the drive-through window, some snapping photos of the demonstration.

Speaker Pamela Rosado is Organizer for Fight For a Fair Economy, and Outreach Coordinator for Policy Matters Ohio. She says fast-food workers can’t settle for less than $15 an hour.

“You would still have people that would qualify or be eligible for food stamps, or other public assistance, depending on the size of their family. $15 is a livable wage. And that’s what fighting for. But if we get Congress to move on raising the minimum wage, and continue to raise the minimum wage, we won’t say 'no.'"

But Sean Chichelli, Director of Labor and Human Resources Policy for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, says raising the minimum wage that high would negatively affect fast-food companies.

“They’ll have to either charge more for their product or have fewer employees. It’s about the only two options that they have.”

Chichelli adds fast-food jobs are low-skill, and there have been increases in the minimum wage in Ohio. The next one, set to go into effect next year, will bring it to $7.95 an hour.

Listener Comments:

Minimum wages go hand and hand with minimum skills and education. You can NOT change one without changing the other two. To do so would bring on nothing short of communism, corruption and chaos.Posted by: Harry Hianis (Cleveland, OH) on December 10, 2013 1:12AM

Are you kidding??? $15.00 an hour for fast food workers?? If they get that kind of money, I'll have to try to get a job at McDonalds. I could live a whole lot better than I am now! I don't make that much and I support myself. I don't get any public assistance of any kind. I just live within my budget and have learned to make good decisions on how to spend the money I do have. I make less than $12.00 an hour, work 40 hours a week, have a house payment and my living expenses. I drive a 14 year old truck and when I have to replace it, it won't be a new truck. It will be another used one. Someone needs to make sure that our kids in school are taught the value of money and how to budget to live within your means. Then they won't expect $15.00 an hour at a job in a fast food restaurant. I don't have everything that I want sometimes, but I certainly have everything I need - and more. And even on my budget, I can find some money for the extra things I want sometimes. If I don't have the money now for something I want (not need), I've learned to save until I have enough to get it. And I've learned over the years that there are some things you can live without. Unbelievable! Posted by: Connie Huffman (Orrville, OH) on December 6, 2013 8:12AM

The Community Organizers egging on these workers should be ashamed of themselves! Its not politics, its simple economics, raise the cost of unskilled labor, and the cost of everything from food to rent to, well, everything, goes up with it, no one gets ahead! BUT Many will get hurt, like those who dont get the pay bump, they'll bring home the same check while Big Macs go up to $5 and Wal Mart starts charging $4 a half gallon for milk, not to mention all the worker that WILL get fired to make up lost revenue! The unions don't care if Wal Mart cuts its work force in half, just as long as they can collect union dues from the few who do get to keep there jobs! If your trying to support a family on an entry level low skill job, its time for you to take a look at your life choices! I used to work as a stock boy, but I got student loans and grants due to my low income, and went to community college because my grades werent Yale material, and I worked HARD, AND I raised my 2 yr old Son, I didnt demand that my employer support my family and pay me the same as a Network Technician, which I now am!!Posted by: Brian (AZ) on December 6, 2013 6:12AM

These morons should be forced to take a high school economic class.
And learn what inflation is.
Higher wages = higher prices FACT!Posted by: Brahe (CFO) on December 6, 2013 5:12AM